OT School Discussions!

[SL&AM]

I've been in college 3 weeks and I'm already overwhelmed and second-guessing my entire life. And despite my numerous, pathetic efforts have still not made friends.
I really don't understand how people do this.

(((HUGS)))

I'm dropping out of college :) I can't adult anymore :)

I went back last week after being off for nearly 2 weeks and I think I told my husband that four times before lunch. Now instead of laughing at me, he just shakes his head and walks away.

 

[Deleted member 41136]

Do Americans take much art or technology? Like textiles, food, wood and metal?

Most do but I'm doing dual enrollment next year and plan to graduate earlier. I just want to fulfill my credits.

 

[Kaylee_Kitty_Kat_75_]

What exactly is Honors and AP? I'm from Australia so it's a different system. And here we have primary K-6 and secondary 7-12. You normally turn 13 in your first year of secondary, but I didn't as the cut off is at the end of April, and mine's a January birthday, so I could be in two different years legally. I'm one of the youngest in my year, but I don't mind it that much. We start in February.

Honors classes are basically advanced classes for a subject. For example, in my school there's English, then Honors English.

 

[MyGirlCheers]

So if you scored well and took lots of APs, could you skip some college? If you could, that that would be cool!

Yes, but not all colleges and universities will give you credit and different schools have different score requirements they will accept. Also, most will not give you credit for classes required for your major. So, if you're pre-med, they probably wouldn't give you credit for scoring well on AP Biology, but might for scoring well on AP US History.

Do Americans take much art or technology? Like textiles, food, wood and metal?

It depends on which high school degree plan you're in. In our area there are different plans based on whether you're planning to go to university, graduating with honors, getting a tech certificate, etc. For example, my CP's plan has more required classes (extra math, science and foreign language) so she has fewer electives. A fine art credit is required as well as a technology credit. But even with AP/pre-AP classes and an advanced degree plan, CP still has plenty of room in her schedule to take elective classes that interest her.

 

[gofriars610]

I've been in college 3 weeks and I'm already overwhelmed and second-guessing my entire life. And despite my numerous, pathetic efforts have still not made friends.
I really don't understand how people do this.

Ooh, girl, I've been there. Freshman year was one of the most confusing of my entire life. Feel free to PM me to vent.

 

[caitlyn_the_camille]

Amen. I have had a difficult time making friends in college. It doesn't help that I am close to a decade older than the average student at my school. But I have learned that friends are made when you are least expecting it. The week before finals winter quarter last year, I went to sit at my usual table on my usual floor in the library. As soon as I sat down, I realized the two other people at the table were the exact two people who had been sitting there yesterday and the day before. We all looked at each other and started laughing because not only were we all sitting at the same table again, but all of us were wearing the same exact clothes we had worn the day before (don't judge me). It was over our common love for that quiet table and bad hygiene that we became friends... Just joking. But there was really no other reason why we would have become friends. We have very little in common and don't have even close to similar majors. But I still enjoy having a beer with them when it is time to close the books. And it is nice to sit next to someone you know when you are studying, even if you don't talk to each other. Those are my only two college friends, but I am okay with that.

Don't worry too much, I promise it will get better!

Thank you! I shouldn't be allowed to post when I'm wallowing in self-pity. I was upset last night but I'm good now! Your story really made me feel better. That's so what college is all about (making friends because you both know the struggle [emoji23]) My closest acquaintances are all in my classes right now, so if we all stay on the same track I don't see any reason for us not to become friends.
(This is an unrelated rant) Reading all the posts about AP and honors classes almost make me miss high school. I think every college freshman has to come to the realization that it is nothing like it was a year ago. I was that kid who was super popular, did exceptionally well in all my honors and gifted classes, and had the highest standardized test scores in my class by a large margin. Now I'm in college and I'm coping with the fact that I'm average. Not even above average, in my college honors classes. Just average. (And my social skills are below average, apparently [emoji23]) The ACT score, the presidential scholarships, homecoming queen... It doesn't matter now. I wish I could figure out a way to relate this to every high school student who has been told all their life that they're special, or that they're going to always be outstanding... You're not. I know that's harsh but, yeah. I've had to do some soul searching lately to figure that out, but now that I have I'm just deciding what to do next.

 

[caitlyn_the_camille]

Ooh, girl, I've been there. Freshman year was one of the most confusing of my entire life. Feel free to PM me to vent.

Haha, I posted my vent at the same time you posted this I guess [emoji28] but thank you! I'll so take you up on that some time! I knew it would be an adjustment but I guess I didn't realize how big of one it would be.
ETA lol @ this double post

 

[SL&AM]

Thank you! I shouldn't be allowed to post when I'm wallowing in self-pity. I was upset last night but I'm good now! Your story really made me feel better. That's so what college is all about (making friends because you both know the struggle [emoji23]) My closest acquaintances are all in my classes right now, so if we all stay on the same track I don't see any reason for us not to become friends.
(This is an unrelated rant:) Reading all the posts about AP and honors classes almost make me miss high school. I think every college freshman has to come to the realization that it is nothing like it was a year ago. I was that kid who was super popular, did exceptionally well in all my honors and gifted classes, and had the highest standardized test scores in my class by a large margin. Now I'm in college and I'm coping with the fact that I'm average. Not even above average, in my college honors classes. Just average. (And my social skills are below average, apparently [emoji23]) The ACT score, the presidential scholarships, homecoming queen... It doesn't matter now. I wish I could figure out a way to relate this to every high school student who has been told all their life that they're special, or that they're going to always be outstanding... You're not. I know that's harsh but, yeah. I've had to do some soul searching lately to figure that out, but now that I have I'm just deciding what to do next.

The fact that you've figured all of that out so quickly is a testament to why you're not just average, you're actually quite wise! Maybe not academically the way you used to be or socially like it was, but cognitively (consciously and unconsciously) you've learned something much quicker than your peers!

 

[cheerKT]

So if you scored well and took lots of APs, could you skip some college? If you could, that that would be cool!

I wouldn't necessarily call it "skipping" since I was there for the same amount of time. But I passed the AP Lit exam so I was able to test out of the basic freshman English class. I have a few friends who took a bunch of APs and they were able to test out of a good amount of freshman classes. You basically "skip" those and go straight into the next level. Depending on what you're studying it could knock some time off your schooling. For me it didn't but others could probably graduate a semester early if you carried over a good number of credits.

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

Thank you! I shouldn't be allowed to post when I'm wallowing in self-pity. I was upset last night but I'm good now! Your story really made me feel better. That's so what college is all about (making friends because you both know the struggle [emoji23]) My closest acquaintances are all in my classes right now, so if we all stay on the same track I don't see any reason for us not to become friends.
(This is an unrelated rant) Reading all the posts about AP and honors classes almost make me miss high school. I think every college freshman has to come to the realization that it is nothing like it was a year ago. I was that kid who was super popular, did exceptionally well in all my honors and gifted classes, and had the highest standardized test scores in my class by a large margin. Now I'm in college and I'm coping with the fact that I'm average. Not even above average, in my college honors classes. Just average. (And my social skills are below average, apparently [emoji23]) The ACT score, the presidential scholarships, homecoming queen... It doesn't matter now. I wish I could figure out a way to relate this to every high school student who has been told all their life that they're special, or that they're going to always be outstanding... You're not. I know that's harsh but, yeah. I've had to do some soul searching lately to figure that out, but now that I have I'm just deciding what to do next.

Not to be a Debbie downer but that "you're just average" thing continues into real adult life. Of course there are ways to stand out and find little successes within what you're doing but largely you are just average. I don't think being in Honors/AP really means anything once you're out of school. And just because you were never selected for those classes in school doesn't mean you won't excel in real life.

I was never accepted into the honors classes in school (thanks to 7th grade math) and I had a lot more achievements in college than all my friends who were in honors classes in HS.

I think making children believe they are special puts them at such a disadvantage when they get into the real world. The majority of us will "average out" at some point.

 

[measy88]

So if you scored well and took lots of APs, could you skip some college? If you could, that that would be cool!

I came to college with 12 credits (basically 4 classes worth) from APs. I fulfilled two of my school's gened requirements through AP credits, and then the remaining 6 credits were coded as English electives, because my college didn't allow AP English to count for freshman English.

I still graduated right on time, not early. But I took advantage of the extra credits by taking a slightly lighter load my first two semesters (13 credits each instead of the typical 15/16) when I was getting adjusted, which helped me to not be overwhelmed. The extra credits also bumped me up and allowed me to register for classes a day earlier than most other people in my year, which was definitely nice when trying to get into more high demand classes.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SL&AM]

So if you scored well and took lots of APs, could you skip some college? If you could, that that would be cool!

I skipped the AP route and when the Dual-Enrollment/Early Admission, so I left HS with 2 years of college already done. It's not always an option or available in all areas, but I'd do it again if I had to go back in time.

 

[cheerKT]

I carried a credit in, but that evened out when I ended up dropping a class my second semester. My program was set up to require more than 15 hours a semester. I never dropped another class again, took 15 hours or more each semester and ended up having to take multiple classes every summer to graduate on time.

Props to those who can graduate early. I finished right on time and that's seemingly becoming more and more rare this days.

 

[gofriars610]

I wouldn't necessarily call it "skipping" since I was there for the same amount of time. But I passed the AP Lit exam so I was able to test out of the basic freshman English class. I have a few friends who took a bunch of APs and they were able to test out of a good amount of freshman classes. You basically "skip" those and go straight into the next level. Depending on what you're studying it could knock some time off your schooling. For me it didn't but others could probably graduate a semester early if you carried over a good number of credits.

my friend who became a nun was able to graduate early due to AP credits...and taking a full semester's worth of courses in the summer. Normally, even with AP credits it is not possible to graduate from my school a semester or year early.

 

[purplecheer]

It's been cool hearing what school is like in America compared to Australia!